Resomii

This page contains material which is kept only because it is considered historical and has been archived. It is not to be used in-game.

The Resomii {Re-zoh-mee} are a species of technologically advanced, bipedal saurians who developed on the planet Sirisai, a tundra world in far orbit around the star A'neech, on the opposite side of Skrellian territory from Sol. Resomi (Plural Resomii) society is collectivist, organized into countless units based on profession and function, with each person jockeying for position and elevation in status. While most Resomii live inside the Resomi Empire, the Resomii that will be encountered in-game will at best be recent refugees from the Empire, and may be several generations removed from imperial citizenship. Due to the repressive nature of the government, and limited information, most of this knowledge won't be known by outsiders, and many Resomii.

While publicly, the Resomi Empire is still powerful, it is in decline. A synthetic uprising that took place almost a hundred years ago resulted in the collapse of much of the Empire's infrastructure and technology. The government has resorted to totalitarian control over what it has left, and those in the know understand that the Empire's days are numbered. While curious explorers and border incursions are still turned back by warships for the time being, the wolves are circling.

Contents

History

Modern Resomii live in a repressive imperial state, ruled by one individual, Emperor Rameriti. This wasn't always the case however, the apex of Resomi expansion and development was under the banner of the Resomi Republic. While at the peak of their strength, Resomii were some of the most advanced beings in our stellar neighborhood. Advanced Bluespace Drives, omnipresent Artificial Intelligence, and Self-Propagating nanomachines allowed the Republic to grow into the largest known civilization. While the Resomii did not discover other species, at first, at some point in the 24th century, the exact date is lost to history, they encountered the Vox. This precipitated an increase in military power, and a stronger wave of expansion. Colonies were planted far and wide, Resomii spoke of living in a Golden Age. This all ended in 2478, with an event that became known as the Fall.

A number of AI units, including the master control unit of the Ministry of the Interior, started to malfunction, causing the loss of the Empire's vast databases and the destruction of critical infrastructure including vital communications services, Bluespace navigation, and power grids. AI afflicted by this malfunction would shut down, resulting in the disruption of any systems they controlled, and then reactivate with altered or absent personality constraints. Though at first limited to a few systems in one part of the Republic, it would not be contained for long. The virus spread like wildfire, consuming systems across the Republic. Spacecraft, habitats, cities, and colonies fell into chaos. The Senate was unable to communicate with any of its ministries, generals and admirals found their forces scattered and blind. Those military forces that were able to rally and organize declared martial law in their respective systems, including A'neech, to little effect.

While feebly attempting to hold back the tide, Sateei, then Prime Minister of the Republic, grew ill, and died before the end of 2480. His Vice Minister, Rameriti, next in the line of succession, took up the mantle of Prime Minister as the Republic approached destruction. With the civilian government in shambles, Rameriti turned to the military, and was granted the rank of Grand Marshal of the Republic by the Senate. Eventually, it was discovered that the synthetic malfunction was caused by a networked computer virus that had been spread by gateways and bluespace drives, but by this time, it was already too late to prevent its spread to most parts of the Republic. Rameriti, having previously served as Minister of Science, had intimate knowledge of the Republic's vast AI networks, and devised a radical plan for containment. The military vessels left operational would shut down the Resomi gateway network, and limit all travel to military use only. All public transportation would use the few bluespace drive-equipped vessels left, travelling in heavily monitored and defended convoys. Colonies without gateways were lost and forgotten, lights left to flicker and die in the black of space. In an attempt to rally the remaining population, Grand Marshal Rameriti declared war on the synthetics, and took aggressive action to destroy any malfunctioning AIs, and safeguard the few that remained functional.

These measures were too little, and too late, and had an unintended consequence. Many of the malfunctioning Synthetics had begun to act as a collective, and whether because they perceived the shutdown of other AIs as a threat, or because they had simply grown to hate organics, they turned against their masters. AIs took control of the Resomi nanomachine swarms and used them to wage war. Clouds of microscopic death roamed space, riding on infected ships with bluespace drives, and sometimes even inside Resomii who had been treated with nanotechnology. Much of the Republic, and many of its citizens were consumed by rogue machines.

In a desperate attempt to stave off total annihilation, Rameriti ordered the Military to destroy nearly all remaining nanomachine technology, and outlawed the production of new AIs, nanomachines, and medical nanotechnology. Nanoplagues and rogue synthetics took the lives of countless Resomii before they were driven out of the core of the Republic. On some planets, entire populations were infected by nanoviruses and in order to safeguard the rest of the Republic, were sterilized from orbit.

By 2482 it was over, driven back by Resomi warships, or leaving of their own accord, synthetics had left Resomi-controlled space. When the smoke cleared, billions of Resomii were dead, with accurate estimates nearly impossible due to the loss of many records and information. Though the losses were immeasurable, Rameriti's swift and decisive leadership saved the Republic, and maybe even the rest of the galaxy from extinction. To many Resomii, the Grand Marshal was a savior sent by the Gods, or perhaps even the manifestation of one. To all Resomii, Rameriti was a hero. To ensure the continuing safety of the Republic, and to satisfy the rapidly growing personality cult surrounding the Grand Marshal, the remains of the Senate unanimously declared Rameriti the first Emperor of the newly minted Empire of Sirisai.

Since the Fall, the Resomi Military has been on constant patrol, protecting the border from Vox incursions, and attempting to locate and destroy any remaining synthetics with little success.

In recent years, the Ministry of Defense has become one of the empire's largest employers, as the need to reinforce borders has become paramount since the Resomii were introduced to the interstellar community. Imperial Resomii are seldom seen outside of the Empire because of their isolation, and those that are seen are often refugees. Military patrols sometimes extend some distance from known Resomi space, but haven't infringed on the territory of other powers as of yet. SolGov policy is to avoid Resomi warships to prevent a diplomatic incident.

While it's largely believed that the synthetic threat within Resomi territories has been all but destroyed, the Empire continues to keep its citizens in check with state-controlled media. The public is often cautioned that other synth worlds may be found, and that any use of AI or VI technology could result in a re-emergence. Imperial citizens are taught that the divine leadership and guidance of the Emperor are the only things that protect them, and that only by working together and obeying government officials can the Empire rise to the heights that Resomii once knew. Distrust of synthetics, and xenophobia towards all species more "primitive" are widespread within the Empire, and while nationalism and religious fervor keep much of the population in line, even the smallest cogs in the imperial machine can see fractures beginning to form if they know where to look.

In the 2540s, Skrell explorers blundered into a Resomi border patrol, and were nearly fired upon, but were able to diffuse the tense situation. The Empire was willing to negotiate with a number of Skrell city-states, and a cordial relationship develped. Trade shortly followed, as did Human interest in the species, however the Empire has been unwilling to open trade with "primitive xenospecies" and other than a frosty first contact in 2550, has had little contact with SolGov. Resomi Refugees have been filtering into Human and Skrell space since at least 2541, when a military unit requested asylum with the Skrell.

Physiology

Resomii are a species of saurian bipeds typically between .9 and 1.2 meters in height, with averages closer to one meter depending on gender, and typically weighing between 27 and 45 kilograms. Covered in a layer of down-like feathers, with longer feathers on their elbows, "heels" and heads, Resomii may seem like birds to Human observers, but would be better compared to dinosaurs. Past superficial appearance however, Resomii are fairly alien, boasting two pairs of long, rigid ears with a thin, intricate bone used to achieve superb hearing and long prehensile tails that help them balance while moving. Underneath their feather-hair, Resomii have dark, leathery skin, and a fairly thick epidermis for their size, as well as a layer of fat beneath to insulate against the cold. While most of a Resomi is covered in downy feathers, there are several exposed areas of skin, or areas with short, hair-like growths such as the snout, hand and feet pads, and the inside of the ears. Resomii have four digits on their hands, one of which is opposable, while they do have claws, they are fairly short, better for gripping hard terrain than slashing or cutting. Their feet also have four digits, with similarly short claws and thick undersides.

Resomi skulls are acoustically designed to support their ears, which are covered in fine hairs that aid their auditory abilities. Resomi ears are capable of movement independent of one another, and are almost always erect and tracking a variety of sounds. Drooping Resomi ears have either been styled for asthetics, are injured, or are being held in a lowered position in subordinate behavior. The Resomi mouth is more mammalian than reptilian, with an elongated snout, separated nose, and flews similar to Earth canines. Resomii have two rows of teeth: first are sixteen incisors, all positioned at the front of the mouth and are used to cut and tear; followed by eight flatter teeth, four on each side, used to grind and break harder materials like bone. Resomii often have long feathers in crest-like growths over their heads, which are often styled based on current trends. Resomi noses aren't much more powerful than Human noses, but are able to better detect and identify multiple smells in an aromatic situation.

Resomii are a bi-gendered species, with several primary and secondary sex characteristics denoting gender. The largest visible difference is plumage. Males tend to have longer, and more colorful accents in their longer feathers, featuring muted pastel blues, greens, yellows, and reds. Males with dull, or colorless feathers are uncommon, but not unheard of. A male unlucky enough to be born with drab coloration would be considered fairly ugly by most other Resomii. Females tend to have finer feathers in shades of white, grey, brown, and other dark earthen tones. Females also tend to have larger ears than males, while males tend to have larger general body sizes than their female counterparts. Additionally, Male fertility peaks at around 20 years, dropping off dramatically past 24. Male plumage is at its largest during this time, but remains colorful into old age. Females, however, remain fertile until around 50 years of age.

Resomii evolved on a relatively cold and sparse world, barely outside of the Goldilocks zone, making it unfit for most Earth-based life without sophisticated life support equipment. As a result their skin and feathers are exceptional insulators. further more, they have a rapid metabolism, burning and replacing an oily layer of fat between their epidermis and musculature. Many of their internal regulatory processes are not energy-efficient and produce immense amounts of heat; because of this, they cannot cope well with temperatures beyond freezing. Though their eyes are large, they are adapted for short daylight hours and long nights. Ambient light levels comfortable to most sapients are uncomfortable to Resomii, and directly focused lights like flashlights tend to be painful.

Resomii age and mature somewhat faster than other species, both genders reaching sexual maturity at around 15 years of age; due to the high demands on individual Resomii in the Empire, Resomii formally become adults at that time.

Due to their unique ear structure, Resomii have exceptionally sensitive hearing, and can detect movement through heavy cover like walls and the ground. This also means that they are vulnerable to sonic weaponry like flashbangs; yelling by most species is uncomfortable; a Vox shrieking can be downright painful or perhaps, debilitating. In part due to this, it is considered extremely rude for a Resomi to raise their voice, regardless of emotions. Despite their poor eyesight, Resomii operate on a similar sensory level to most sapients thanks to their hearing. Resomii are entirely carnivorous, while they can consume plant matter in tiny amounts, their stomachs work harder to even partially process the plant matter, which leads to indigestion and general discomfort. Meat and other "simple" animal products like fat, organs, and skin are easily consumed and rapidly absorbed into their bloodstream.

Psychology

Resomii are social creatures, which reflects in the way their society and government is organized. Resomii deprived of contact with other Sapients for long periods have time have been known to develop personality disorders, or even psychosis. Like other social animals, Resomii are at their mental best when working and living in a group.

Resomii prefer living in high-occupancy dwellings, with multiple families living under the same roof. Modern Resomi dwellings tend to be designed in efficient, honeycomb-like patterns to maximize how space is used, and this design philosophy continues on to most other construction and urban design.

Resomii working in the Empire are organized into units and subunits, similar to military chains of command. The smallest subunit is typically a group of around a dozen Resomii, with one leader, and one sub-leader. These subunits make up larger and larger groupings, up to an industry or task as a whole. When an Imperial Resomi who works in a factory making scanners is asked what their job is, they might say "Assistant Manufacturer, Fifteenth Finishing Sub-unit, Second Radiation Scanner Unit, Eighth Electronics Over-unit, Manufacturing Sector Four, Ministry of the Economy." Resomii feel at home when they have a place in the order of things. However, Resomii can be fiercely competetitive within their individual circles.

Ambitious Resomii jockey for position within their subunits as much as they are able. While open displays of hostility are rare, and considered crude or primitive, behind the scenes manuvering and conspiracy are common. While it may be easy for a Resomi to paint their subunit leader in a bad light and replace them, it could also easily backfire and lead to repercussions. Complicated schemes and plots are often concealed with effusive politeness to prevent any overt bad feelings. Those Resomii who do assume higher positions are awarded more resources, power, and eventually political office. While many Resomii are content being only a small part of the Empire, it is unwise to cross or let down an ambitious Resomi. Subordinates are often berated and criticized to show dominance, and if there is a problem with quotas or efficiency, superiors may offer up their underling as a scapegoat to escape blame.

There are rumors that even the highest of Resomii, Emperor Rameriti himself used guile and trickery to assume his position, though making those assumptions near more fervent members of the Empire is hazardous to one's health.

Examining Resomi society shows some remainders of their roots as pack hunters, smaller predators that had to work together to take down prey and keep the pack alive, but Resomii pride themselves on leaving most "primitive" behavior behind. While a subunit may in some ways behave like a pack, its members working together to benefit everyone, and some more ambitious members challenge the leader, or "alpha", overtly hostile or animalistic behavior is highly looked down upon. It is considered the highest of social mis-steps for a Resomi to lose their temper, or to physically fight outside of a martial occupation.

Lifecycle

A breeding pair of Resomii, generally supported by their family, will lay a clutch of 4-6 eggs and tend to them until they hatch. The average lifespan of a Resomi prior to any genetic interference is 60 years, though some of the oldest have been recorded to live up to 100 years. Fertility has become a large facet of modern culture, as males have a rather short fertility window of roughly 10 years, in comparison to their female counterparts that never naturally lose their fertility until around the age of 50. It's common for male Resomii to take leaves of absence from their professions during their fertile in order to mate and raise hatchlings, while females tend to choose one long stretch to have a few clutches, and then return to the workforce.

Aging brings along a collection of issues - lost feathers are generally replaced with more muted colors, metabolism slows and the immune system becomes suppressed. Even hearing, the most valuable of Resomi senses, begins to deteriorate, which has led to no small market in "hearing restoration" medicine and technology, to varying degrees of effectiveness.

Language

Schechi {Scheh-Shee} is a comparatively simple language that consists of various chrips, trills and squeaks that, to the untrained ear, often sound cacophonous. While it is entirely capable for Humans to speak Schechi, it oftens ends up being broken and "slurry", as the average human lacks the fine control in their vocal cords to accurately produce alot of the tones in a discernable fashion. Due to the mouth structure of Resomii, they have difficulty speaking unaccented galactic common and human-derived languages. Their speech in these languages tends to include unintentional trilling and whistling.

Both their names and their language are based off of avoiding guttural sounds, such as uh, er, and eh. Instead, they use light trilling sounds, such as a, ee, and eh. For example, common Resomii names are : Remi, Seemoni, Ritila, and Eschomi.

Sayings and turns of phrase in Schechi tend to be based on anatomy, for example, a quick-witted Resomi has "sharp teeth," a Resomi with "dull teeth" is not burdened by intelligence, and an insane Resomi has "broken teeth." Similarly, a clumsy Resomi is said to "trip over their own tail." When speaking in polite company, it's not uncommon to address anyone not in one's family with their title, or minor flattery, such as "valued subunit leader" or "talented comrade."

Culture

Traditionally, Resomi Culture was colorful, focusing heavily on the arts, personal freedom, and strong familial relations. Resomii in the time of the Republic were generally allowed to live lives of relative luxury, at even the lowest parts of society. Entirely connected by AI frameworks, able to commune socially at a moment's notice, and free to travel across Resomi space, life was good for even the lowest of society. Trade or profession was typically defined by family, a Resomi hatched to miners, was likely to stay a miner, but with prevalence of education, it was possible to change one's role in life with hard work and dedication.

Resomii today do not have that same social mobility. The Empire is still clinging to life in the corpse of the Republic, and personal choice is subordinate to the will of the state. Upon hatching, Resomii are assigned a future career path based on the needs of the government, often in the vicinity of their family's dwelling, but sometimes not. It's not uncommon for a Resomi to be separated from their family in order to be raised into a vacant position somewhere else in the Empire. Resomii who do remain near their family continue to live together well into adulthood and after they have their own hatchlings, but separated Resomii often form new families, and lose touch with their parents and hatchmates. Without much room for social interaction outside of families, mating pairs often meet at religious functions or work. Due to the need for repopulation, the Empire gives leave to both males and females in order to reproduce.

Within the Empire, healthy Resomii of working age and their various units of organization work based on a system of quotas, measured by either production numbers, efficiency levels, or standardized testing. For example a teaching subunit has a certain score their students must achieve within a certain time period. In theory, these quotas are malleable to help those who cannot reach the required numbers achieve a more reasonable goal. In practice, they tend to be set in stone, unless a Resomi is badly injured, or a subunit is under strength, quotas remain what the Empire demands. Depending on the needs of the Empire, these quotas are often near impossible to achieve without constant work. Those who fail to meet their quotas are often moved lower in the working hierarchy, if behavior does not improve, in time, an underperforming Resomii may even be imprisoned and reduced to slave labor, charged with failing to support the Empire.

Before the Fall, education was freely available through tutoring AIs, and apprenticeships in the family profession. Resomii would typically learn for about 12-14 years, beginning after the age of 3, and upon passing a certification examination, would take up whatever role they trained for.

Today, education has no synthetic assistance, and the demise of family professions has put an end to apprenticeships. Resomii are taught in part by their families, and after turning 2, are required to attend an Imperial Academy of Learning near their place of habitation. Acadmies teach a standardized curriculum of basic math, language, and science, as well as a healthy amount of the imperial religion and official history. After eight years of Academy, Resomi youths spend another four learning their trade from injured or retired members of that field before entering the workforce.

Being a society based on social norms and politeness, several behaviors are fairly common, at least among imperial Resomii. Breach of the rules of courtesy is considered social suicide when done in front of a superior. Social customs are common both in verbal communication and body language. It is considered extremely rude to point or gesture with a tail, so they are largely kept low and out of sight when not in use. Touching of tails is considered an intimate gesture, not appropriate for public spaces. When greeting another in a formal setting, a Resomi is expected to turn their head and expose their neck with their mouth closed, as a gesture of trust. A Resomi who is subordinate to the person they are greeting should turn their head to the right, and a superior should turn their head to the left. Similarly, greetings between friends, such as a wave of a wing, follow a similar right and left pattern, waving with the right wing is a gesture of respect, and waving with the left, an insult.. Though much history has been lost since the Fall, one theory is that the head turn was used to show that you trusted an opponent would not bite if given the opportunity. Another, less reputable tale suggests that an ancient king had a crippled wing, and could only wave with his right, and that his people returned the wave as a gesture of respect. In either case, knowledge of proper courtesy is vital for maneuvering in imperial society.

Food & Drink

Resomi Cuisine is somewhat unique for carnivores. Resomii, as an entirely carnivorous species, eats primarily meat, but not raw like Unathi tend to. Pre-Fall food tended to be prepared with colorful, tasty sauces made with fungus and bacteria originally only found on Sirisai's Equator. Pre-Fall Resomii herded and bred large "Fungus Walkers", an animal-like fungus that used to dominate the surface of Sirisai which were domesticated early in Resomi society. These served as the staple of the pre-Fall Resomi diet, along with a variety of other fungi and animals. Animals from other planets in the Republic were also prepared, sauced and decorated, but were seen as exotic delicacies if eaten off-world. The sauces uses are often either spicy or savory in taste, with some more exotic flavors being sour or sweet. Fruit larger than berries are almost unheard of on Sirisai, however some colonies did cultivate larger and more flavorful fruit for the purpose of seasoning. Modern times have introduced other spices and herbs, but only in small quantities so as to not cause indigestion. Resomi "sweets" are often made of fermented and distilled fungus extract and mixed with naturally occurring sugars found in specific breeds of bacteria to form candy and tarts. Many sentients find Resomi cuisine distasteful, with the exception of Unathi, who enjoy it for its aromatic nature.

The collapse of trade during the Fall put an end to transport of food between planets and habitats, resulting in starvation nearly everywhere. Until bluespace travel was restored, many Resomii were forced to subsist on nutrient paste and meat substitutes. In some less affluent areas, nutrient paste is still considered a staple, and has a reputation as a cheap, albeit bland option for a meal.

Resomii can consume alcohol, but didn't have any established industry for fermented beverages before the Fall, and haven't begun any overt use of liquor since. However, Resomii outside of the Empire have been exposed to Human, Tajaran, and Unathi drinks, and have even tried their hand at creating fungal beverages. A small black market of similar drinks has started in imperial space, but hasn't taken hold as of yet.

After the Fall, and the transition of the Republic into an Empire, crime has seen a staggering increase. Alongside common criminals and sapient traffickers many other illegal groups thrive: resistance groups calling for the violent overthrow of the Empire, information runners who help facilitate the underworld, and militant republicans who demand a return to democracy and, in some cases, the re-activation of the AI Framework. All of these operate clandestinely in the center of the Empire, where the Ministry of Governance can still execute the Emperor's will, but on the fringes of imperial space, some operate with impunity. Every few years is supressed in a show of force, but the military's hold on the Empire slips with every passing month.

The Resomi homeworld, Sirisai, still holds the greatest number of Resomii in the Empire. Its precise location is a closely guarded secret, even among the Empire. Travel to and from Sirisai is heavily restricted and generally takes place via dedicated 'carrier' ships, some of the few pre-Fall vessels remaining, that can make the requisite bluespace jump with passenger ships safely contained inside.

Art and Entertainment

While most entertainment inside the Empire is sanctioned propaganda created by the Ministry of the Public, Resomii do still enjoy and create a few unique forms of art. The most popular of which is a kind of auditory art, which while technically music, is not pleasing to species without Resomi auditory senses. Resomi "music" is a collection of sounds across the audible spectrum, in some cases outside of the hearing range for most species, with a mathematic pattern attached. Visual art tends to be rare, considering the poor eyesight of Resomii and the low-light conditions they prefer to live in.

Wingball

Wingball is a sport popular among young and old Resomii across society. One of the few sports able to be played both in space and planetside, Wingball has existed since at least the time of the Republic, and probably earlier. The sport is played in a bowl-shaped court with an area of approximately ten square meters. Two pairs of high poles are on opposite sides of the court, with flat ground in the middle that slopes to a ninety degree angle towards the edges. Two teams of 5 players attempt to get a lighter-than-air ball through the goal of the opposing team using only gusts of wind from their wings. Contact with the ball results in a penalty, but grappling with other players is encouraged, with the caveat that biting and kicks are also penalties. Running on or climbing the sloped wall is permitted, but difficult considering the smooth surface. Matches are played to 15 points, or thirty minutes, whichever happens first. While official matches include balls kept aloft with repulsorlift technology, and perfectly measured courts, many Resomi youths play with only an air-filled sack and sticks as goals. Both inside and outside the Empire, Wingball is seen as a friendly competition where friends and families can gather together and share in social bonding.